Art of framing handbags



Jan. 22, 1946. M. H. sToRcH ART 0F FRAMING HANDBAGS Filed Feb. 4, 1944 w m m Patented Jan. 22,` 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ART OF FRAMING HANDBAGS Max H. Storch, Belle Harbor, Long Island, N. Y.

Application February 4, 1944, Serial No. 521,037

(Cl. G- 29) 6 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of handbags.

One object Yof the invention is to provide a handbag frame comprising parts that are interengaged as the result of a press fit, at least one of these parts being decorative in character.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvement in the handbag art whereby frame elements made of materials as dissimilar as metal and plastic are interengaged as a result of a press fit connection to produce a strong, compact frame, without the possibility of breakage of the plastic part by the stresses produced in press fitting.

Another object of the invention is to furnish an improvement in the handbag art such that the frame is assembled coincident with the securement of the bag to the frame.

Another ob-ject of the invention is an improvement in the handbag art whereby the parts of a frame are assembled by a press iit and a bag is simultaneously secured to the frame by a positive action or by a frictional clamping action, or both, produced in forming the press fit.

Another object of the invention is an improvement in the handbag art such that a bag and a separate decorative element are secured to a frame upon interconnecting the parts of the latter. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an improvement in the handbag art whereby the parts of a sectional frame cooperate to provide a means for releasably holding the handbag closed in a neat, simple, and lnconspicuous manner, whether embodied in a spring hinge or in a snap closure.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvement in the handbag art whereby the external decorative parts of a frame cooperate with adjoining means including a bag to positively support the latter at spaced points and to powerfully frictionally clamp the latter at intermediate points to thus continuously support the bag, the bag and frame engagement being effected in course ofassembling the external parts of the frame.

Another object of the invention is to furnish an improvement in the art such that different parts of a bag or different bag elements can be separately mounted directly in a frame by clamping together external parts of the latter.

. Another object of the invention is the provision of an improvement in the handbag art wherein each frame member comprises a decoraf raming tive non metallic element flanked by external metallic elements interconnected by press t connections through openings in the non metallic elements, with the press iit connections also passing through holes in a bag to mount the latter with its marginal portions concealed between the elements.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary view in front elevation showing a handbag embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the handbag at right angles to the hinge axis, showing the spring hinge in open position.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modification, which also illustrates a step in the process of fabricating a handbag.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan View of a modied bag wall with an edge angularly broken away and in section.

Fig. 8 is a sectional View of a frame member with the bag wall of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional View of a modication showing a bag wall and an inside pocket separately mounted on the frame.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional View of another modification.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of another modication illustrating a snap closure for the handbag.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

` It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to I which the inventionV appertains,v that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the prefer-red exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I denotes a handbag embodying the invention. The same may include any suitable bag I6 and a frame I1 therefor comprising frame members I8 hingedly or otherwise interengaged as at I9 for movement toward and away from each other for closing and opening the bag I I. Each frame member includes elements 28, 2| interconnected with each other as by a press t. A simple exemplication of the latter may consist in the fasteners 22 spaced along the frame members, each fastener 22 including a male portion or pin 23 on the element and a female portion or sleeve 24 on the element 2|. I These portions 23, 24 may be integral with their respective frame elements whereby no marks or blemishes will occur to mar the frame as in the case where frame portions are interconnected by bending tongues or by welding elements thereto, which blemishes show through plating and are very difficult to eliminate. Desirably the cavities in the female portions may extend into the body of the element 2| as shown in Fig. 6. The construction and arrangment is such that the elements 20, 2| are pressed bodily together, causing all of the male portions to be driven powerfully into the female portions simultaneously. Thus all of the press t fasteners 22 are completed in one operation. When this operation is completed, the frame elements 20, 2l are in any desired spaced relation to each other, and may clamp on the walls of the bag I6 to mount the latter. wall, as thus secured, can depend as in Fig. 2, or may be arranged to drape over one of the frame elements as in Fig. 10. By reason of the spacing, a strong, stiff frame member is produced.

Preferably a third element 25 is provided, consisting of any suitable material, desirably nonmetallic, for contact with the elements 22, 2|. Interesting effects are obtained by'making the element 25 of plastic material, such as Lucite This element is formed with a longitudinal head 25 and a depending central narrow web 21. The latter may serve as a spacer between the elements 25, 2| and may be clamped therebetween, while the head 26serves as a top closure for the frame 20, 2| and as a decorative part therefor. Preferably, the web 21 is positively connected to the elements 20, 2| as by causing the fasteners 22 to pass through holes 28 in the web. This feature also has the further advantage that it may be utilized for a positive connection with the bag I6, as by causing the fasteners 22 to pass through holes in the marginal section of the walls of the bag. Accordingly, it is seen that both the decorative element 25 and the bag wall are secured positively at spaced points at 22 and frictionally at intermediate points by the clamping action described, thus aording a continuous securement, and that this securement is effected coincident with the press t assembling of the frame elements 20, 2|. The bag wall may have its marginal section lying between the web 21 and the outer element 20. Since the lower edge of the elements 20, 2| lies below the lower edge of the web 21, structural details are concealed.

In general, the frame members I8, which as thus far described are identical in construction, are of inverted U-shaped form, the several elements 20, 2| and 25 being correspondingly shaped; and the section of Fig. 2 applying to the arms as well as to the top of the frame members, the

The bag.

fasteners 22 being spaced throughout the length of the frame. If it be desired to maintain the uniformity of the top of the frame, without interruption by a closure, the hinges I9 may be of the spring type. More particularly, each hinge I9 may include spaced hinge ears 30 integral with one frame element 2| and an intermediate hinge ear 3| on the confronting frame element 2|, these hinge ears being interconnected by a pintle 32. A plate spring 33 is mounted to cooperate with flat, angular faces 34, 35 of the hinge ear 3| to hold the frame closed as in Fig. 3, or open as in Fig. 4. Clearance for this plate spring is provided by an undercut 36 in an element 25 whereby this spring may be located between this element 25 and an inner element 2|, so that its mounting is concealed. Securing the spring in position are a pair of the fasteners 22 passing through holes in the shank 31,0f the spring 33 so that this spring can be mounted coincident with the framing of the handbag. If preferred, the shank 31 may have its holes designed for a press fit engagement with the sleeves 24 so that the spring is preliminarily secured to permit the operator a free hand in framing the handbag. To afford clearance for deflection of the spring 23, web 21 may have a cut out 38 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification wherein the web 21a of element 25a may be modied to cooperate with element 20a so as to provide a series of intertting longitudinal serrations at 40, 4|. It will now be seen thatvwhen the portions 23, 24 are press fitted together, the frictional engagement on the bag I6 is greatly increased against the possibility of accidental slippage of the fabric at points between the fasteners 22.

In Fig. 6 there is also illustrated the use of the fasteners 22 serving as a punch to cut holes in the bag fabric. For this purpose the elements 23,24 are formed with cutting edges according to conventional practise. Now when the elements 29a and 2| are powerfully pressed together in a suitable machine, all of the fasteners 22 simultaneously cut holes in the bag and pass therethrough for a press fit connection, as herelnbefore described. Thus there is no need for alinement of the holes in the bag with the fasteners 22, and the operator may drape the fabric as desired and secure it in position directly.

In the case of heavily gathered or pleated fabrics, the structure of Fig. '1 may be used advantageously with the press fit frame. Thus the pleated bag wall 42, backed by a lining 43 if desired, may be stitched at 44 to a strip of strong or stiff material 45 having preformed holes 46 for receiving the fasteners 22. The utility of the invention is further indicated in Fig. 8, according to which the relatively thick seam at the stitching 44 may be located and concealed between the elements 20, 2| but lying below the web 21 so that the overall thickness of the frame member is not affected.

In Fig. 9 is shown a modification which may be like the structure of Figs. 2 and 8, except that an additional element such as an internal pocket 48 of the handbag may be separately mounted directly on the fasteners 22 or by a strip element such as 45. This strip element 49 may be stitched to the pocket 48 as at 50. Hence the pocket need not be sewn to the bag, but may be assembled in framing the bag, and the weight of this pocket and its contents is individually carried by the positive and'frictional clamping engagement afforded by the fasteners 22.v

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- In Fig'. 10 is shown amodification wherein the elements I, 52, 53 correspond respectively to elements 20, 2l and 25 and are interconnected by the press fit fasteners 22 thereby securing and clamping the bag Vwall 54 as hereinbefore described. However, in this case, the bag fabric extends over the top edgeof element 5I and along the outside thereof whereby this element is concealed. By cooperation with the head 55 of the element 53, there is an angular clamping of the bag fabric at 56 for a greatly increased frictional engagement. The head 55 extends only at one side and the opposite face of the element 53 may be plane, with element 52 having a continuous marginal lip 51 extending over part of the top of the head 55 to protect the non metallic material of the element 53. A suitable design may be developed, such as the stepped formation shown, which discloses the combination of metal and plastic.

In Fig. l1 is shown a closure which is normally wholly concealed, and may be used in lieu of the spring hinge I9. Hereone frame member inlcludes elements 58, 59 and 60 and the other includes elements 6l, E2 and 63, corresponding respectively to elements 2U, 2| and 25 and secured together as by the fasteners 22. Intermediate of a pair of these fasteners, the element G2 may have a head E4 and the element 59 may have an opening 65 to freely receive the head, the lower edge of this opening being beveled at 6B for a snap engagement with the head. Also the element B0 may have a cut out 61 to afford clearance for the head. Now on pressing the frame members together the head snaps in and engages at 66 to hold the bag closed. To open the bag, the elements 60, 63 may have projections or notches 68 so that the user can insert her fingers to press the frame members apart and thus to release the head 64 from its closing position. This closure is `thus wholly concealed in the closed position of the bag and is readily produced by utilizing the structure of the frame members wherein each consists of a plurality of elements.

In Fig. 1l there is shown also an improvement in securing the bag 69 to the frame, as by a marginal bead 1D sewn on the very edge of the fabric, with the elements 58, El being beveled at 1I to afford clearance for the beads. Thus the bag 69 is not only secured by fasteners 22, but also continuously positively engaged by the clamped beads 10.

The invention is susceptible of novel design effects including highly decorative, polishedmetallic elements such as 20, 2| and the intermediate plastic element 25, the appearance being the same externally and internally of the handbag.

The invention provides a novel method of framing a handbag whereby the preformed frame elements receive the wall of the bag and are secured together by a simple pressure whereby the bag is secured thereto; and this method also permits a decorative element such as to be simultaneously fixed in position. In fact, a plurality of bag elements may be secured in the frame while the latter is being assembled. There is nothing erratic in the resulting action because the press iit portions line up perfectly, and thus no marring or uncertain effects are obtained. The bag may be arranged or draped to suit before or during the framing operation itself.

I claim:

1. A handbag including a plurality of frame members movable toward and away from each other to close and open the handbag, each frame member consisting of a plurality of longitudinally spaced face elements, and an intermediate element, one of the elements having a longitudinal head overlying the other elements, a bag having side walls having upper marginal sections secured to the different frame members, each section being located between an intermediate element and one of its cooperating face elements, and spaced fasteners between the face elements, said fasteners extending through the intermediate element and said section at each frame member, each fastener comprising a female portion on one face element and a confronting male portion on the companion face element, the male and female portions being press fitted together, said marginal sections of the bag consisting of reenforcement strips stitched to the bag walls with the resultant seams located below the intermediate element, the face elements extending below the intermediate element to thus conceal the seam therebetween.

2. A handbag including a plurality of frame members movable toward and away from each other to close and open the handbag, each frame member consisting of a plurality of longitudinally spaced face elements, and an intermediate element, one of the elements having a longitudinal head overlying the other elements, a bag having side walls having upper marginal sections secured to the different frame members, each section being located between an intermediate element and one of its cooperating face elements, and spaced fasteners between the face elements, said fasteners extending through the intermediate element and said section at each frame member, each fastener comprising a female portion on one face element and a confronting male portion on the companion face elementfthe male and female portions being press fitted together, the opposed elements between which said bag section is disposed being provided with interfitting irregularities to frictionally clamp the bag section.

3. A handbag including a plurality of frame members movable toward and away from each other to close and open the handbag, each frame member consisting of a plurality of longitudinally spaced face elements, and an intermediate element, one of the elements having a longitudinal head overlying the other elements, a bag having side walls having upper marginal sections secured to the different frame members, each section being located between an intermediate element and one of its cooperating face elements, and spaced fasteners between the face elements, said fasteners extending through the intermediate element and said section at each frame member, each fastener comprising a female portion on one face element and a confronting male portion on the companion face element, the male and female portions being press fitted together, said marginal sections of the bag being provided with beads along their edges, the face elements having beveled edge portions to afford space for the beads with the latter confined in said space by the overlying head of the intermediate element.

4. A handbag including a plurality of frame members movable toward and away from each other to close and open the handbag, each frame member consisting of a plurality of longitudinal elements, a bag having a marginal portion located continuously between the elements, one element having a series of integral pins, another element and a portion of the bag having openings receiving the pins, said pins having rigid press tted engagement in the openings of the latter element, with the elements being thus vclamped together and clampingly securing the marginal portion of the bag therebetween, the elements and the bag being otherwise independent of each other, and the spacing between the pins being so small as to afford an approximately continuous clamping action for supporting the bag, said bag consisting of diierent parts interconnected by a seam adjacent and parallel to the frame members, each of the latter having a longitudinal channel-like opening between its elements below and communicating with the clamping region and receiving the adjacent portion of the seam.

5. A handbag including a plurality of frame members movable toward and away from each other to close and open the handbag, each frame member. consisting of a plurality of longitudinal elements, a bag having a marginal portion 10- cated continuously between the elements, one element having a series of integral pins, another element and a portion of the bag having openings receiving the pins, said pins having rigid press fitted engagement in the openings of the latter element, with the elements being thus clamped together and clampingly securing the marginal portion of the bag therebetween, the

elements and the bag being otherwise independent of` each other, and the spacing between the pins being so small as to aiord an approximately continuous clamping action for supporting the bag, the elements being provided With interttng virregularities for gripping therebetween the said marginal portion of the handbag. l

`6. A handbag including a plurality of frame members movable toward and away from each other to close and open the handbag, each frame member consisting of a plurality of longitudinal elements, a bag having a marginal portion located continuously between the elements, one element having a series of integral pins, another element and a portion of the bag having openings receiving the pins, said pins having rigid press fitted engagement in the openings of the latter element, with the elements being thus clamped together and clampingly securing the marginal portion of the bag therebetween, the elements and the bag being otherwise independent of each other, and the spacing between the pins being so small as to afford an approximately continuous clamping action for supporting the bag, each frame member having at least three of said elements, the element having the openings having bosses about the openings, the intermediate element having holes to receive the pins and the bosses, and the intermediate element having at its top a decorative head overlying the other elements.

MAX H. STORCH. 

